Ecuador will choose its next president in a runoff election in April between conservative incumbent Daniel Noboa and leftist lawyer Luisa González. Crime is a major issue for voters.

Ecuador’s center-right President Daniel Noboa fell short of securing an outright majority in the country’s general election, according to results available on Monday, setting the stage for a run-off vote against his nearest leftist rival.

Ecuador's presidential election will go to a second round after a closely contested first-round result failed to produce an outright winner. The electoral authorities called it a "technical tie" after the incumbent centre-right Daniel Noboa and his main left-wing challenger Luisa Gonzalez received nearly identical percentages of the vote.

Daniel Noboa and Luisa González will face off in a second round on April 13.

Ecuador’s presidential election is shaping up to be a repeat of the 2023 race when voters chose a conservative young millionaire over the leftist protégé of the country’s most influential president this century.

Ecuador's presidential race will go to an April runoff if current trends in the count continue, Diana Atamaint, the head of the national electoral council said late on Sunday, as incumbent Daniel Noboa led leftist Luisa Gonzalez by less than 1% in the tally.

President Daniel Noboa, who is known for his aggressive law-and-order policies, failed to win a majority of votes in his re-election bid on Sunday.

A run-off looked likely in Ecuador's presidential race late on Sunday, as leftist Luisa Gonzalez climbed nearer to incumbent Daniel Noboa in a half-finished vote tally. Noboa is leading the count with 45.